Hat ironer



Oct. 11, 1932. c LA CAVERA 1,881,699

HAT IRONER Filed June 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m CZar/as [a @wem Oct. 11, 1932. LA CAVERA 1,881,699

HAT IRONER Filed June 16. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 ZUNITED s'rATEs PATENT. OFFICE CHARLES LA GAVERA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO GEORGE COLOVOS HAT IRONER Application filed June 16,

ggof the hat cleaning and ironing apparatus is of vital importance. I i

There are many hat cleaning shops in existence at the present time of such nature as to make the cost of a hat ironing machine prohibitive and, consequently, what ironing is done is done by hand with the result that the felt of the hat is not properly compressed as it is when the hat is manufactured.

The presentinvention contemplates a hat ironing machine which is small and compact, highly efiicient in use and which may be manufactured and sold at a moderate price. An object of the present invention is to provide a hat ironer which is efficient in use I 'and which can be manufactured for sale at a moderate price andwherein the travel of the iron is adjustable, and oscillating cranks are employed to operate the iron and to allow adjustment of the same in use.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a hat ironerwherein the movement of the iron is caused by oscillating cranks and in which the period of oscillation may be varied as desired.

Another object of the invention is to pro? vide a hat ironer wherein the iron is moved, through a curved path in a vertical plane by a crank having a plurality of parallel members whereby the throw of the crank with respect to the driving mechanism may be varied within certain limits, and whereby the throw of the arm may be varied in a different manner for governing the path of travel of the iron.

- A further. object of the invention is to provide a hat ironer having a support for a hat form which is adjustable axially. so as to subject as much or aslittle of the hat to a the ironing process as is desired.

The above, other and further objects of the invention will'be' apparentfrom the following description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

An embodiment of the invention is illus+ 1930. Serial No. 461,381.

.trated in the accompanying drawings and p the views thereof are as follows: I Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine embodying the present invention showing a portion of the hat form broken away and the cover in section.

Figure 2 is an end view of the machine illustrated in Figure 1 looking at the lefthand end thereof with the cover removed.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line IIIIII of Figure 1 with certain parts broken.

Figure 4 is a fragmental portion of a crank showing a latch for retaining the iron out of the way.

The drawings will now be explained.

The form of apparatus chosen to exemplif y the present invention is illustrated as comprising a base 1 which is supported by feet 2 and which may be placed in any convenient place for use.

A cover 3 encases the mechanism and rests in a rabbitt 4 formed in the base 1.

A block 5 is supported on the base 1 for receiving a motor 6, which motor to the block 5 by bolts 7 or in any other suitable manner. The block 5 may be integral with the base or may be made separately if desired and in which case it would be attached in any approved manner.

A table 8 is arranged on the base 1 and is block-like in form.

A standard 9 is secured to the base 1 for supporting the hat form A of the machine. A vertical shaft 10 is suitably supported in the standard 9 and maintained therein by collars 11 and 12. A worm gear 13 is keyed to the shaft 10 above the collar 11.

A shaft 26 is supported in bearing blocks 14 and 15 on the table 8 and at one end is provided with a worm 16 'in mesh with the worm gear 13 on the shaft 10 and is connected to or forms an integral part of the motor shaft' The shaft 26 is provided with a worm 17 near the motor for meshing with a wheel 18 carried in a stub-shaft supported in a bearing block 19 and suitablysupported in the machine. An oscillating arm 20 is pivoted at 21 to the table 8 and is arranged for oscillation in a vertical plane about the is secured '7 pivot 21. The arm is provided with two cranks 22 and 23 which are formed as tegral parts of arm 20 and which cranks are parallel and in spaced relation. The crank 22 is slotted at 24 which slotextends from near the upper end thereof to a point below the shaft 19a supported in the bearing block.

19. The crank 23 is slotted at 25 from near its upper endto a point near its lower end,

that is,a'point* ri ear where 'itis connected to the arm 20, which in the present instance is below the shaft 26.

A block 27 is slidablewithin the $10 6 24 (if:

the crank 22 and a similar block 28is slidable in. the slot 25 of the crank 23.

A block 30 is secured to thegear 18 near its periphery. The block 30 is operatively connected to the block 28 by a pin 31, which block28 is freely 'slidable in the slot 25 of the c'rankarm 23.

A bearing machine in axial alignment with the block 19 and supports U-shaped rocker B having two parallel arms 33 and 34. The :arm 34 is slotted substantially throughout its length and a'block 35 is movable within the slot and may be fixed or clamped anywhere along the slot Theblock 35. is connected to the block 27 of the crank 22 bya pin 36. j

A hat form base 37 which elliptical in plan view is supported by means of a collar 38 on the shaft 10 andis adjustable along the shaft being secured in adjusted position thereon by a set-screw 39., The base-37 has a pin '40 fixed therein and extending upwardly, and another pin 41 spaced from the pin 40 and pivoted ,at 42 to have'springy movement in the base. The base 37 is provided with a depending lug 43 through which passes a screw 44 which is connected-to the swinging pin '41 and which is actuated by awing 45.

The hat form A is provided with a central hub 46 which is bored at 47 to receive the end of-the shetftlO. The form is made as a shell so that the-pins40 and 41 may engage the inner. surfaces of the shell to fasten theform to the form base 37. The form A may, of course, be'of any size, shape'and contour as desired in order toreceive and accommodate hats of various sizes and shapes.

little of the surface of the hat as is desired.

An arm 48is pivoted at 49 to the upper end of the arm 33 of the crank member B. A spring 50 engages over the end of the arm 48 I adjacent the pin 49 and the adjacent end of the arm 33 to normally urge the iron 51 against the hat form'A. I

The iron 51 is pivoted at 52 to the arm 48;

The iron 51 is made as a hollow member with a heating element therein which is connected by means of conductors 53 to a source of electrical energy for heating the iron.

block'32 is supported in the I The adjustmentof'the blocks27, 28 and'35 in cranks 22,, 23 and 34enables the selection andarrangement of any length of travel of the iron 51 as occasion maydemand.

The operation of theapparatus.is as follows? The dotted position of the iron 51 in Fig-- ure 2 shows the lowest point to which the same can be moved. Downward movement of the iron 51 may be adjusted to end at any point above that shown in Figure 2 between said low limit and the apex of the hat form A by suitable positioning of the blocks '27 and 35 in the slots; The spring 50, maintains the iron 51 at all times aaginst the hat form A.

A hatto beironed is placed on the form A which is chosen of propersize, depth and shape-to conform to the particular hat being treated and the form then placed on the form base 37 attached thereon by the Wing 45. The

form A is'then adjusted vertically on the shaft 10 by manipulation of the set screw 39 and movement of the form in the proper direction.

Should it be desired to wash the hatprior to ironing then the arm 48 may be moved into the dotted line'position'of Figure 1 where it engages underneath a latch 55 on the upper end of the arm34 of the member B out of the Way. The operator may then'wash, cleaner otherwise treat the hat on the form A, re tating it if heso desires byoperation of the motor 6. The ironing is accomplished by moving the iron 51 against the hat, properly adjusting the blocks 27 and 35to give the deslred angular throw of the iron and then the motor'started. This results in rotation of the form A by the shaft 10 through the worm 16 and the worm gear 13at the same time the gear 18 is driven by the worm 17, rotation ofwhich oscillates the crank 23 and the arm 20, as well as the crank 22. This oscillation is transmitted to the member B through the blocks 27 and 35 thus causing the lI'OIl 51 to travel in a curved path from front to back as viewed in Figure 1 and left to right and vice versa as viewed in Figure 2. The extent of movement being controlled, of

course, by the adjustment of the blocks 2'? and 35 and the gear 18 and member 13 respectively. The hat form, of course, is'being rouniform' ironing pressure and heat as long as the apparatus is operated. The pressure of the iron against the hat is controlled by the spring 50, and might'of course, be controlled in some other manner if desired.

The cover 3 is applied and' as will be observed encloses the motor, the table 8, the standard 9 and the gears and'is'provided with.

tated so that the hat thereon is subjected to :1

an aperture 56 for the gear 18 and the cranks 22 and 23.

The apparatus of this invention is one which may be manufactured to be sold at a relatively moderate price so as to be readily available for small'hat shops where capital outlay for machinery is limited and where the business does not warrant the purchase of expensive machines. A

It sometimes happens that a. hat is ironed without removing the band therefrom, in which event the present machine could be adjusted by lowering the hat form base 37 and the form A so as to subject to the iron 51 only as much of the surface of the hat as appears above the band with the upper edge of the band as the lower limit of travel of the iron 51 in its oscillatory path.

Rotation is imparted to the gear 18 by a worm gear (not shown) supported on shaft 57 which carries a worm gear 58 in mesh with the worm wheel 17 on the shaft 26.

The adjustment of the hat form A on the shaft 10 is such as to accommodate the form to hats of various shapes and sizes so that the machine is readily available for ironing any type, shape or kind of bat which usually is ironed.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details yet it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby as changes may be made in arrangement and proportion of parts and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A hat ironer, in combination, a rotatably mounted hat form, an iron engageable against said form and movable about the surface thereof in a curved path, a crank pivoted at one end to an immovable pivot for moving the iron in the manner stated, a motor, a gear driven by said motor, a crank pivoted at one end and operatively connected to said gear, connecting blocks engaging said gear and said last mentioned crank for oscillating the crank as said gear is rotated, and connections between said last mentioned crank and said first mentioned crank for varying the degree of throw therebetween whereby the travel of the iron may be varied.

2. A hat ironer, in combination, a vertical shaft, a hat form base adjustably supported on said shaft, a shell-like hat form removably secured to said form base, and clamping means carried by said base for engaging said shell for securing said shell to said base in operative position, said clamping members including a fixed abutment engaging a portion of said shell and a movable abutment for engaging another portion of said shell, and means for moving said movable abutment in a direction to set up wedging action between said abutments and said form.

-3QA .hat ironing machine including a source-ofi'power, a gear driven from said source ofpower, an oscillating crank, connections between said gear and said crank, another crank movablewith said first crank, a third crank operatively: connected to said second crank, a hat iron carried by said third crank, said second and third cranks being connected for varying the throw of the third crank by the second crank whereby the variation in throw of the third with respect to the rotation-of the'gear may be varied over a wide range, said gear and all ofsaid cranks moving in parallel planes.

4. Ahatironer, in combination, a base, a motor standard thereon, a hat form standard thereon, a vertical shaft vsupported in said hat form standard, a worm gear on said shaft, a shaft connected to said motor supported from said base and carrying a worm in mesh with said worm gear, an iron oscillatable about said form in the plane of said shaft, a U-shaped oscillating bracket having legs oscillatable about a horizontal axis, an arm pivoted to one leg of said bracket and to said iron and swingable about said pivot, an oscillating arm, connections between the motor and said oscillating arm for oscillating the same, and connections between said oscillating arm and said oscillating bracket for imparting oscillation to the iron, said last named connections being adjustable to vary the throw of the iron.

5. A hat ironer, in combination, a base, a motor standard thereon, a hat form standard thereon, a vertical shaft supported in said hat form standard, a worm gear on said shaft, a shaft connected to said motor supported from said base and carrying a worm in mesh with said worm gear, an iron oscillatable about said form in the plane of said shaft, a U-shap ed oscillating bracket having upstanding legs and oscillatable about a horizontal axis, an arm pivoted to one leg of said bracket and to said iron and swingable about said pivot, an oscillating arm movable in a plane parallel to the bracket legs, connections between the motor and said oscillating arm for oscillating the same, connections between said oscillating arm and said oscillating bracket for imparting oscillation to the iron, said last named connections being adjustable to vary the throw of the iron, means carried by the bracket for urging said iron against said hat form, and means carried by the bracket for maintaining said iron away from said form when desired.

6. A hat ironing machine, including in combination, a hat form rotatable about a vertical axis, a U-shaped member supported to swing with its arms in vertical planes, an iron supported by one arm of said member and swingable in a curved path from side to side of said form, an oscillating link fixed at one end to swing in a vertical plane parallel to the arms of said-member;econnections between said; links' and :the other. arm of said memberlfor swinging said member'- to and fro and" a rotating member connected: to said :jlinks to oscillate the same. 7 7: A" hat ironing machineyincluding' in combination, a hat form rotatableiabout avertical axis, a U-shaped member supported to swing with its arms inflverticalplanes, an liron supported by one arm of said member and swingablein a curved path from side to side of said-form, an oscillatinglinkfixed at one end to swing inca Vertical plane parallel to the arms of said membenconnections be tween said links and theother arm of'said member for'swingingisaid member to and fro, and a rotating'member rotating in a I plane parallel to the plane ofoscillation' of said. links and connected to said links for 0s- 2Q. cillatingthe same,,said connectionsbeing ad-' V 1: 1] linois. I

justable to Vary theamplitude ofoscillation of said links.-

j v '-In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name'at Chicago, Cook County,

CHARLES LA' CAVERAQ 

